PLANTING OUR WORLD

A collection of stories about the interconnections between humans and the plant world.

In his latest, plant neurobiologist Mancuso, author of The Incredible Journey of Plants and The Revolutionary Genius of Plants, continues his exploration of our relationships with plants. “After decades of keeping community with plants,” he writes, “I seem to perceive their presence not only in every place on our planet but also in the stories of each and every one of us.” As in his previous books, the author expertly combines his accessible style with pertinent scientific data. Following an encounter with an adversary in book collecting, Mancuso shares the story he learned regarding “liberty trees,” which were planted throughout France during the French Revolution, with inspiration from the American Revolution. Mancuso explains how planting trees in cities today can help reduce the amount of carbon dioxide that the rural-urban reversal has produced and how red spruce became the wood of choice for violinmaker Antonio Stradivari. The author shares how studying the growth rings of trees in the American Southwest has allowed us to decipher climate trends of the past and to accurately date the Aztec ruins of New Mexico. Further, he explains how dendrochronology led to the unnecessary and unfortunate demise of Prometheus, the nearly 5,000-year-old pine tree considered the oldest living being on Earth. Mancuso also explains how a wooden ladder used in the kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh’s baby led to the birth of forensic botany. In his quest for the origin of the idea that banana peels are slippery, Mancuso unearths the source of the 1967 hoax regarding the psychedelic effects of bananas. Finally, the author discusses the little-known planting of “moon trees” around the U.S. in 1976 to celebrate the bicentennial of the Declaration of Independence.

An eclectic and fascinating collection that will leave readers wanting more from this appealing guide to the world’s flora.